Y Duel K
by Whose Liner
Summary: After the better part of eternity...I'M BACK! Chapter 3 has at long last arrived! While Jaden receives the results of his exam, an unfortunate disaster looms on the horizon!
1. Duelbytes

**Introduction: **Yo! It's me, Whose Liner again! If you haven't gotten sick of me and my stories yet, what's **wrong** with you?! Anyway, the (mild) success of my last posted fanfic prompted me to kick things up a notch, and write another "Yu-Gi-Oh!" story! I won't bore you with any unecessary information, so let's skip all the hassle and get down to business, pure and simple! Enjoy!

**Disclaimer: **I love "Yu-Gi-Oh!" And I wanna take this moment to mention that I **OWN** the whole **flippin', friggin' franchise!!! **HA, HA!!!

By the way, did I forget to also mention that I'm an incorrigible liar?

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There is an island in the southern sea, upon which stands the school where the next generation of duelists is being trained. It is called Duel Academy.

_Ten years after the Ceremonial Battle, a teenage boy named Jaden Yuki enrolls in the school, where he gains a few friends, along with a few enemies. Placed into the lowest rank of Slifer Red, he continues to test his skills against various adversaries to prove his worth as a duelist and earn the respect of everyone around him._

_These are the chronicles of the next generation of Yu-Gi-Oh!_

**Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Y Duel K**

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Chapter 1 - Duelbytes

As a flock of birds flew over the vast ocean, most of them noticed the isolated island seemingly located in the middle of nowhere. On it proudly stood the well-known and prestigous Duel Academy. With the sun shining and only a few clouds swimming through the morning sky, the evidence suggested the emergence of a glorious day, filled with innocent wonder and artistic splendor.

But neither the soothing winds, nor the soft chirping of the birds could alert everything on the island to acknowledge their presence. And they most certainly would fail in attracting the attention of one brown-haired indivdual...

...known to all as Jaden Yuki.

Inside the small, shoddy (and sometimes regarded by Jaden as even being quaint) dormitory of Slifer Red, the said teenager tossed and turned in bed, despite being in a state of peaceful sleep.

The curtains covering up the windows were pulled open by Jaden's best buddy, Syrus Truesdale. Despite being shorter in size and less confident in his dueling skills, he was still a loyal and kind friend with a heart of gold.

Although he was dressed and ready for whatever the day had to offer he sighed when he saw that his pal was still snoozing away. He ran his hand through his horizontally long, pale blue hair, trying to think of an effective way to get his roomate up and moving. The best (and only) thing to do was to try the direct approach.

"C'mon, Jaden...up and at 'em!" he half-whined, gently shaking his roommate.

"Forget it, Dr. Crowler!" he cried, evidently dreaming. "I'm summoning the **Elemental Hero Armageddon-sucker-punch-in-your-face-Day-After-Tomorrow-Destructo-Devine-Parallel-Secret-Ultra-Super-Rare-Judgement-Day-couldn't-beat-me-if-your-life-depended-on-it-High-and-Mighty-Master-of-the-Universe!!!**"

"WHAT?!?"

"And it's got **100 bajillion** attack points with your name on it!"

Syrus sighed again and shook Jaden a little more harder this time. His second attempt worked and the fellow duelist's eyes opened a bit. After two seconds his peepers opened all the way. He sat up, shook his head back and forth, and blinked twice before saying anything.

"Oh...hey, Syrus. Mornin'."

The smaller teenager adjusted the tiny round pair of glasses on his face, trying to conceal his frustration.

"Well, it's about time! You already missed breakfast!" scolded Syrus.

"Ease up, Sy! I'll live!" Jaden said, flashing his usual trademark grin. "I always get up sooner or later! But you couldn't have waited two more minutes? I was about to pull off the **sweetest** card combo the world's ever seen!"

"In your dreams..."

"Exactly!"

Jaden laughed as he pulled his school uniform out of his dresser drawer. While changing into his dark grey socks, black shirt and white pants, he noticed that his short friend was sporting a concerned expression. He seemed to be lost in thought.

"Something wrong, buddy?" Jaden asked. "Don't tell me that the girls from the Obelisk Blue dorm stole your underwear **again!**"

"Hey, that only happened **once!**" Syrus almost yelled. "I'll have you know they returned it once they found out I wore **boxers!**"

"Whoa, too much info there!"

"They said it was much more manlier than briefs!"

"Okay, okay, **whatever!** Anyway, what's on your mind?"

"There've been rumors going around that something special's being brought to the school today!"

"Oh, yeah? What is it?"

"I'm not exactly sure...but I remember Chancellor Sheppard saying something yesterday about bringing a real piece of history to show to the student body!"

"Huh...that might explain why I heard that there's only a half day of classes today..."

"Word is that it might be the prototype Duel Disks that Seto Kaiba invented years back! Y'know, those big orange yo-yo thingies?"

"Wow! Now that'd be **too** sweet for words!"

Jaden continued to think hard as he put on his red jacket. But try as he might, he couldn't offer any kind of alternative explanation.

"Well, there's no use wasting time here! Let's hurry and get to class...whoa, I can't believe I just said **that!**" he exclaimed, still smiling.

The pair quickly put on their matching red sneakers and headed out the door.

* * *

"It's **DOCTOR** Crowler! Get it right, you **Slifer slimeball!!**"

"Whoopsie! Heh, heh!"

The school day had started out casually...if by which you mean Jaden Yuki had unintentionally started yet another minor argument with Dr. Vellian Crowler, one of Duel Academy's most recognized staff members. Inside the massive complex that made up the bulk of the school, the teen had innocently bumped into Dr. Crowler in the hallway, causing his usual crabby attitude towards Slifer Red students to surface. Due to a minor slip of the tongue, Jaden accidentally referred to his teacher as a "she"...or something to that effect. The tall long-haired blonde was so steamed that some of the onlooking students swore that they could actually **see** steam rushing out of his ears.

"Don't you 'whoopsie' me! You're on thin ice and it's about to **crack!**" Dr. Crowler screeched, flailing his arms.

As always, Jaden exploited two of his well known traits for all to see. The first was showing that he had no fear of teachers (to date). The second was that he also had no fear expressing his (blunt) opinions to anyone.

"Eh, no offense, teach...but, uh-"

"But **what?!**"

"Well, is it really that much of a crime to get your title wrong? I mean, c'mon...I haven't heard you use my name **once** since I've been here!"

"Don't you turn this around on me, **dropout-boy!!**"

"I rest my case."

The "good doctor" was glaring daggers at the young scholar, while Jaden was acting as cheerful as ever. But before the exchange of harsh words could escalate any further, a (somewhat) neutral third party entered the fray.

"That's quite enough, I'm sure! There's no need to get nasty with each other..."

Heads turned in the hallway, recognizing the chubby, middle-aged, bald man wearing a red blazer.

"Hey, Chancellor Sheppard! What's up?" greeted Jaden.

The head of the entire school smiled warmly. Hands behind his back, he strolled over to the duo that always ended up butting heads possibly more than any other pair of people in the entire history of the academy.

"Chancellor! This **impudent** young man-" interrupted Crowler.

"Now, now...Dr. Crowler, I really think you should stop teasing the boy..."

"**ME?!?** Teasing **him?!?** These blasted S.R. cretins are all over the place like insects...it's an utter **infestation!** They upset and **plague** this school's proper balance...!"

Rather then endure a day's worth of annoying protests from the teacher, Sheppard stroked his goatee and promptly changed the subject.

"Anyway, Jaden...as I'm sure you're well aware, there's only a half-day of classes today! But don't take that as a sign that you can take it easy! I expect **all** students to be present in the duel arena at 2:30!"

"You got it, Chancellor!" Jaden replied, giving a mock salute.

"And try not to give Dr. Crowler **too** much of a hard time, please."

"Can do! Well, at least I **think** I can..."

Sheppard's smile remained as he walked off, softly chuckling to himself.

Dr. Crowler gave a sharp exhale, adjusted his pink ruffled, long blue coat, and left the scene in a huff.

* * *

After the morning's classes were over, Jaden and Syrus hurried back to the dorm to wolf down a quick lunch. The pair then headed back to the main building, joined by a another Slifer student (and fellow roommate), Chumley Huffington. The chubby teen certainly wasn't the greatest of duelists, but bore all the markings of a loyal and trustworthy person to have around. As the three made their way across the campus, Jaden passed the time telling them a short story...

"...it was really loud, too! So anyway, **there** I was! Standing only a few feet away from all the dueling action, right? And one of the coolest battles was going on!"

"So **spill** already!" Syrus demanded. "Who was dueling?"

"Well..." Jaden continued, "...as luck would have it, who else was competing but the ultimate dueling **master** himself!"

"No way!" Chumley cried. "You don't really mean-"

"Yup! It was Yugi Moto, the **King of Games! **He was on the ropes, though! Some jerk had just summoned a pair of monsters that took out his Curse of Dragon and Gaia the Fierce Knight!"

"Whoa...that's totally anti-licious! So then what happened?"

"Uh, actually...I dunno. My mom came and dragged me outta the joint before I saw anything else."

"Figures," Syrus muttered.

"Ah, what does it matter? This is **Yugi** we're talkin' about! He musta won! I mean, honestly...could there **possibly** be any other outcome?"

Jaden's two friends stopped to consider such a thing, but realized that he was right. Considering the heavy marks Yugi had made in the dueling world, his legacy was one that consisted of many strong tactics and solid triumphs.

"Don't forget about his buddies!" Chumley added. "In his interviews, didn't Yugi mention his friends had a hand in all of his victories?"

"Yeah, that's true..." Syrus agreed. "And just like they supported Yugi, we'll always back **you** up, Jay!"

"Man, sentiments like that are what makes life worth dueling!" Jaden said, pretending to cry. "Sy, you know just how brighten my day a little bit more than usual! And Chum-ster, when the chips are down, you're **always** there...to eat 'em up, that is!"

The trio of Slifers laughed as they jogged the rest of the way into the building.

* * *

The gigantic crowd that was the entire student body gathered together in the dome-shaped arena to hear Chancellor Sheppard's big announcement. But as soon as Jaden, Syrus and Chumley took seats in one of the middle rows, other nearby kids of higher rank moved further over to other chairs, not wanting to fraternize with people who represented Duel Academy's lowest of the low.

There existed, however, two individuals who virtually acted as prime exceptions to the prejudice (regarding rank) that permeated the island. The first one was a tall, dark-haired male scholar dressed in yellow attire. He was a prominent figure and an extremely skilled duelist from the Ra Yellow dormitory, known as Bastion Misawa. The second person was Alexis Rhodes, a tall, pretty female with sandy-colored long hair and chestnut eyes. The Obelisk Blue uniform she wore only complemented her thin figure. Many boys were in awe of her beauty, grace, and dueling style. Characteristics such as those earned her the title as the "queen" of her corresponding dorm.

Unlike numerous others, this pair refused to let their respective ranks place limitations on who they associated with or who they chose to be their friends. Therefore, these two had no reservations interacting with those of lower stature.

"G'day, all!" Bastion warmly greeted.

"Hi, Jaden!" Alexis said, smiling and waving her hand.

"Yo, Bastion! Hey, Lex!" Jaden responded.

Sitting in between Chumley and Syrus, he gestured for the two to join them.

"So, Bastion...y'got any idea what this meeting's all about?" he asked.

"Not a one, I'm afraid," Bastion answered, crossing his arms and sitting down. "Us fellows down at Ra Yellow weren't briefed on this at all."

"Same here," Alexis stated, also taking a seat. "As far as I know, not even the Obelisk students were given any prior knowledge or sneak peaks about whatever's going on."

"Although we **should** have!" interrupted a snide, rude voice.

Syrus, Alexis, Bastion, Chumley and Jaden all simultaneously turned their heads and saw a small handful of Obelisk Blue students sitting a few rows higher, abeit not so high that the group of five sitting below couldn't hear the voice clearly.

Those high-up classmates weren't exactly thinking warm thoughts about Jaden or his fellow S.R. pals at that moment, especially not the boy with the pale skin and spiky black hair.

"Well, if it ain't Chazz Princeton!" Jaden began to joke. "Sour as ever, I see!"

"If it isn't Jaden Yuki!" Chazz retorted, scowling. "And still as utterly **moronic** as ever!"

"Would it really hurt to lighten up some, bud? Might help that pale complexion of yours, y'know?"

"Newsflash, **dope! **I'm **not** your bud! And it's idiocy like **that** which is gonna getcha kicked outta here, **slacker!**"

Alexis rubbed her temples and sighed. Jaden didn't even flinch.

"Not that any of the O.B. guys would lose any sleep over it!" he angrily continued.

"O.B.? Y'sure it wasn't '**B.O.**', dude?" Jaden laughed.

The battle of quips and wisecracks could've lasted (at least) a week. But like before (in the hall), Chancellor Sheppard's voice unintentionally stepped in to intervene, amplified through the microphone he was speaking through.

"ATTENTION, ALL STUDENTS!"

Everyone present, whether ranked Slifer, Ra or Obelisk gave their complete attention to the headmaster, standing in the center of the dueling platform. At one end of the stage was a rather large and bulky object, completely covered by a huge tarpaulin, with a pair of technicians standing near it.

"Ahem...as you know, I've made previous announcements over the past few days indicating a new addition to this school's facilities! I think it's something that will benefit **all** students, rank notwithstanding!"

The chancellor turned towards the hidden object and pointed at it with his free hand. And slowly but surely, Jaden's excitement was rising.

"Boy, I can hardly stand the suspense! I **gotta** know what's Sheppard's hiding under there!" Jaden spouted, shaking his equally excited fists.

His four friends unconsciously were leaning forward, as well. Despite whatever was to be put on display, Sheppard certainly knew how to draw attention to himself, one way or another. The man's hand opened up all the way, as a gesture of a true presentation...

"BEHOLD!"

On cue, the two men grabbed hold of the tarp and pulled hard, swiftly removing it to fully reveal the item underneath...

**TO BE CONTINUED...**

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Hey, dudes! Yah, it's indeed me in case you didn't believe what I said above in the intro! Gather round, boys and girls, 'cuz I'm back again with another story to tell! After doing fanfics based on the two previous "Yu-Gi-Oh!" series, I thought it'd only feel right to do one set in the "GX" era! I pray this chapter didn't come off as insufferably boring! But if it did, then I apologize. I also hope I managed to keep everyone more or less in character...

In any event, bless those who have taken the time to read this, and keep checking back for updates!

Later! I gotta get some sleep...


	2. Bandwidth

**Disclaimer: **"Yu-Gi-Oh! GX" is not owned by "Whose Liner" and its stories, names, characters, locations and incidents are a work of fiction. Any similarities or resemblance to actual events, places, or people, living or dead (or dueling) is entirely coincidental.

I always wanted to say that...!

**Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Y Duel K**

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**Chapter 2 - Bandwidth**

The seemingly endless amount of eyes that belonged to the people of Duel Academy were doing their absolute best to operatre at peak efficiency. Even the most apathetic person in the world might've given some level of attention to what was being unearthed. The engimatic object presented by Chancellor Sheppard was about to be exposed. Everything appeared to moving in slow motion as the tarp covering it was pulled off, like something out of a overdramatic science-fiction flick.

As the giant dropcloth hit the floor, the feverish stares continued. The item on display was a large, round mechanical device with a red light in its center, surrounded by eight small rectangular slots. A thin, black antenna stuck out of each of its sides at a diagonal angel. Some of the spectators who were well versed in the less well-known details of Duel Monsters (including one Ra pupil named Bastion) could soon tell they were large enough to place a card in. A large number of wires and cables were plugged into the back of the strange invention, possibly indicating that it required a huge amount of power to operate.

"No way...it **can't** be..." Alexis said hesitantly.

"Completely and utterly **astounding**..." Bastion agreed.

As excited as Jaden was a moment ago, he was now calmly sitting back in his seat with his hands behind his head. Repeatedly looking right and left, he noticed that the majority of the audience was gazing at the machine with with genuine interest. The Slifer Red didn't waste any time unleashing his enthusiasm.

"So, uh...what **is** that doohickey, exactly?" he asked out loud, stroking his chin.

Jaden's question was followed by an extremely negative response. Teenagers of all different ranks (most of whom were of Ra and/or Obelisk level) picked up nearby pieces of litter from the floor and between empty seats (that had not been swept up), and threw them at Jaden. Thankfully, the scraps of garbage were light in weight, so none of it actually hit their target. Other students just lobbed insults instead.

"THAT'S **QUITE** ENOUGH! SETTLE DOWN, SETTLE DOWN..." boomed Sheppard's voice through his microphone.

Jaden was clearly confused. But Bastion, someone well versed in historical information for matters such as these, did his best to explain things to his S.R. comerade.

"That 'doohickey' happens to be a true historical relic! Many years ago, when Kaiba Corp arranged the historical Battle City Tournament, they also invented a new improved version of the Duel Disks, the very design that the Duel Acedemy's variety was based on. In preparation for the competition, Seto Kaiba tested the Duel Disk system on this so-called Duel Computer...or Duel Robot, depending on how you look at it! Technology like this we may take for granted these days, but this was the very first one of its kind back then!"

"So **that's** what it is!" Jaden chimed in, slamming a fist into his palm.

"Took you long enough," Syrus joked.

"I remember reading about it years back! That's the very same contraption that Kaiba fought when he tested out his legendary Egyptian God Card, **Obelisk the Tormentor!**"

The headmaster cleared his throat and continued his speech.

"Despite that it was destroyed in its initial test, Kaiba Corp has kept this computer in storage ever since! I pulled some strings and convinced the company to donate it to the school! But rather than simply keep it around as a decorative piece, I had our engineers and technicians refurbish, update and reprogram the Duel Robot, effectively making it functional again!"

"You're kidding!" Jaden yelled out loud again. "Y'mean we'll actually be able to **duel** with it?"

"I wouldn't have brought it all the way out here if the reason was anything less!" Sheppard stated wth a warm smile. "Rest assured, people...within the next two to five days, this device will be made ready to put your dueling skills to the highest test imaginable!"

* * *

The next few days seemed to pass by casually, but upon closer inspection...Duel Academy wasn't exactly the same. Students and teachers alike were thrilled to learn that the Duel Computer was being hardwired into the duel arena's built-in electronic and holographic systems. Most of the pupils were capable of waiting before they could play with their new "toy"...except for Jaden, that is.

It was bad enough that his mind wandered off during classes, but the introduction of the "new" dueling Robot that had been so spectacularly presented divided his attention (or lack thereof) even more.

"Raigeki was arguably the most sought after card of its time! But with the god-like ability to destroy all enemy monsters as easily as snapping one's fingers, it's hardly astounding! Of course, this card was created quite sometime before the game developed a variety of creatures with the power to resurrect themselves or leave lasting effects on the field after they were destroyed, such as Vampire Lord or Treeborn Frog..."

That was about all the information Jaden's brain assimilated from the teacher's lesson before fatigue set in.

* * *

When the day of the computer's installation had arrived, Jaden found he couldn't immediately run off to see it embark on its maiden voyage. Falling asleep in class on too many occasions, he was forced to stay afterward and write one hundred times on a pad of paper that the endurement of unconsciousness in the middle of school hours was **not** acceptable. (Or something to that effect.) Ever the loyal friend, Syrus decided to remain in the classroom with Jaden so they could leave together.

"Y'know, it couldn't hurt to at least **try** to stay awake during class every now and then!" Syrus complained.

"True...but if I did that, then I'd be too tired to goof off late at night!" Jaden joked.

As the two friends lightly jogged down the hallway, they noticed that it was unusually quiet and empty. But it ultimately came as no surprise. Anybody with a shred of intelligence knew that the new super dueling computer was all the rage.

Once the pair of Slifer Red students made their way to the arena, they'd soon find that the word "rage" was a real understatement. Not content with sitting in the surrounding seats, people were crowding around the dueling platform closely observing a match. Jaden saw that Chancellor Sheppard, Dr. Crowler, and a couple of engineers were present, as well.

"Check it out, Jaden! It's Bastion!" Syrus pointed out.

With so much potential at his fingertips, Bastion Misawa deserved every bit of encouragement and cheer that the crowd was offering up.

The boys spotted a small gap inbetween some of the onlookers. So luckily, they didn't have to squeeze themselves past the other spectators in order to get a good view of the action. And even if that hadn't been so, Alexis was also there to provide some commentary.

"Hey, guys! You're a little late...Bastion was chosen as the first student to fight the Duel Robot!" she exclaimed.

"Aw, man!" Jaden whined. "Just my luck someone hadda beat me to the punch...I **so** wanted first crack at it!"

A handful of people told him to be quiet, as they desired to see the rest of the duel play out, free of any further disruption.

Back in the duel, things might've seemed bleak for the Ra stduent. But anyone who knew Bastion was well aware that of the fact that he possessed a very mathematical mind. He excelled particularly in science and math, always making probability studies and jotting down one calculation after another. With such immense academic abilities, integrated into his more than promising dueling talents, Bastion definately had a shot at becoming one of the greats. Any dubious minds would change their tune as they watched the competition - the A.I. - crumble before him.

Two powerful monsters had been summoned to the field, and each was trying its best to stare the other down. The computer's creature was a huge olive colored dragon, its body covered in shiny armor, weilding a large (and equally shiny) sword and shield. Bastion's monster also resembled a dragon, although the body of this one was composed entirely of water.

"Whoa...it's that Water Dragon of his, ain't it?" asked Jaden.

"Yeah...and that computer managed to summon the Dragonic Knight, **equal** in attack points!" Alexis noted. "On monster cards alone, Bastion has the upper hand...his monster's special ability completely drains the attack strength of any and all Fire-attribute creatures of the field, like that Dragonic Knight!"

"Then why doesn't he just jump in there and take it out?" Syrus innocently asked.

"The Robot also has a face-down Spell or Trap card on the field. If Bastion overlooks something as critical as that, it won't matter how strong his monster is!"

"We shouldn't worry," Jaden assured. "Bastion has a supreme intellect and **really** knows how to think his way out of tight situations! He's probably got this whole thing in the bag!"

Jaden didn't know how right he was.

Everyone noticed that Bastion's pokerface was stable, even though he appeared to be losing. He had 950 LPs remaining, while the Duel Computer had 2800.

"I'll pass this turn," he calmly announced.

Directly below the computer was a smaller attaching console which had a single slot that held the remainder of its own deck. A tiny mechanical arm reached out from the bottom of the robot, drew a card and placed it in an empty slot. The two Slifer students who had just arrived on the scene were startled when they actually heard the Duel Computer speak!

"_Draw card. Set one card face-down. End of turn._"

The voice was soft, automated and feminine-sounding. Even though this technology was about ten years behind the devices used in the modern day, it was still quite the spectacle.

As Bastion drew his next card, he flashed a brief and tiny smile. The first year student generated strategic thoughts at almost frightening speed. Bastion quickly recalled how (most of) the duel progressed, as well as which cards had been drawn, which of them had been played, and what the odds were of drawing the card he needed from (what was left of) his dueling deck.

And the odds just happened to be in his favor this turn. The R.Y. pupil slipped the card he'd drawn into a slot under one of the Monster Card Zones.

"I'll activate my Heavy Storm spell card!" he hollered. "Those two face-downs of yours are no more!"

A strong whirlwind started up on the playing field, revealing the Duel Robots face-down cards for a instant, before they shattered into millions of pieces.

"And now that your Dragonic Knght has no barriers of protection, my Water Dragon can safely move in and wipe it out!"

The mighty creature descended upon the now defenseless Knight and body slammed it, like a huge tidal wave crashing against a shore. Afterwards the Water Dragon readjusted its form and stood up as straight as it could. There was absolutely no trace of the Dragonic Knight.

Everyone cheered as the Duel Computer's Life Point counter dropped to zero, Jaden and Syrus included.

With the duel drawing to a close, Bastion's monster disappeared from the arena. Without a word, he calmly walked over to the other side of the playing field, where the Duel Computer was making a low buzzing sound. In less than five seconds, a small piece of paper emerged from a tiny horizontal slot located at the bottom of the machine. Jaden, who hadn't noticed that small detail, would be the first to congratulate the skilled duelist.

"Man...that was **wicked** cool, Bastion! Way to show who's **boss!**"

Bastion said nothing as he pulled the sheet out from the slot it was hanging out off. His eyes darted in a few different directions as he read what had been printed. The expression that the remainder of his face gave off was a neutral one.

"Hmm...yes, I see. Well, that should only make sense..." he said to himself.

"Somethin' wrong?" asked Jaden. "You totally **wasted** that machine!"

"Not according to this readout the computer printed..."

"What exactly is that?" Alexis inquired, joining in the conversation.

"It's a short list of options, specifically a number of moves and card combinations that I've could've utilized sooner and much more effectively."

"Well, no one can be expected to think of every possible way to use their deck when they're up against a wall," Syrus noted.

"Nevertheless, a duelist should still be at the top of his game in the midst of battle, regardless of how much experience their opponent may weild," Bastion pointed out.

It almost sounded like Bastion was scolding himself, and Jaden wasn't about to let his friend do so.

"Hey, don't be so hard on yourself...y'still won! And your opponent was a super-smart A.I., no less! That ought to count for **something!**"

"I appreciate the sentiment, Jaden...but the fact remains that I could've dealt with that exchange better than the way you saw...now if you'll excuse me, I need to go back to my room to make some calculations."

Bastion began reading the printout aloud as he walked off, as well as reciting some hypothetical scenarios, presumably for future duels.

"Man, Bastion just won't quit until he's worked out all the kinks in his perfomances!" Syrus realized.

"Best just to leave him alone," suggested Alexis. "You know how he is...a perfectionist 'til the end!"

"No argument there, 'Lex!" Jaden cheerfully agreed. "So, when do **I** get to test my talent against the Robot?"

"Not for a few hundred **millennia**, I'm sure!" chriped an annoying voice.

The trio turned their heads and saw the ever-obnoxious, arrogant Dr. Crowler walking in their direction.

"Oh...what's up, Doc! Didn't see ya there!"

"It's **Doctor** Crowler, not '**DOC**'..." the teacher hissed. "You miserable, little-"

"Geez! Detail, details...anyway, what makes **you** so certain that I won't get to duel the Computer?"

"Jaden, **please**...everyone's well aware that your low grades bring a new meaning to the word 'horrific,' but are you **truly** that dense? The faculty wouldn't **dare** to dream of leaving a fine and delicate piece of machinery such as this in the hands of **Slifers!** It'd be nothing short of **pandemonium!**"

Crowler's sarcasm and snide mannerism were the key ingredients in cooking up a nasty atmosphere, so much so that even chipper students like Jaden might admit to having a hard time keeping up a smile. Thankfully, Chancellor Sheppard stepped in once more to unofficially operate as referee.

"Anyone mind telling me what this argument's about?" demanded Sheppard.

The blonde teacher flashed a strange grin, trying in vain to dismiss any vibes of discomfort from the area. As part of his usual routine, Crowler started to lay on the charm.

"Headmaster! I was just explaining to our young friend here that the legendary Duel Robot is to take up residence in the Obelisk Blue dorm! A prized possession like this would only be treated with the utmost care and respect by our **top** students! And besides...the faculty might face **severe** scrutiny if we were to deny them nothing but the best!"

Alexis had been observing this exchange of opinion, and decided to step in. She may have been a talented Obelisk pupil, but she was also someone who heavily disliked the hostility shown towards the lower ranked individuals. Being Jaden's friend, she felt it necessary to side with him. If only to provide more proof that she wasn't snotty and mean like the others...

"But if the Slifer students are the ones who really need to improve, wouldn't it make much more sense to have the computer installed in **their** dormitory?" she proposed with a lopsided smile.

"I admire your **generosity**, Alexis..." Crowler said. "But the choice has already been-"

"Hey, hold on!" Jaden interrupted.

"What is it **now?**"

"Why **should** the O.B. dudes get all the perks? I mean, c'mon...they got roomy rooms with clean sheets, much better food, lots of wide open space around their building, special access to all the best cards whenever they're shipped, and us from the S.R. department get nothing but less repsect than a **skunk** would! If nothing else, at least let us have the super-cool computer to duel with!"

Dr. Crowler scowled at Jaden, while Sheppard looked as if he was deep in thought.

"Well, I'm sorry to bust your bubble, **slacker**...but you're-"

"Absolutely right, Jaden!"

Alexis, Jaden, Syrus and Cowler stared at the headmaster in shock.

"WHAT?"

Although the others repsonded simultaneously, they each had a different emotion permeating their voice.

"I think our young Jaden here has a point, Crowler!" Sheppard declared.

"Chancellor, you can't be serious...!" the overly strict teacher cried.

"Quite. Hostility between the students has reached an all time high as of late! Why, just look over there!"

Sheppard pointed towards a quartet of Slifers enduring (at best they could) verbal abuse and light shoves at the hands of a bigger pack of Ra and Obelisk students.

"It's silly to believe that everyone should get along right from day one, but this is ridiculous!" he continued. "We're duelists, not **savages!**"

"I'm sure those S.R. boys got what was coming to to them..." assured Crowler, while eyeing (and glaring at) Jaden closely. "The discipline this school places on its students can only serve to set them straight and toughen them up! Conditions such as these are what make up the **foundation** of some of the greatest duelists in **history!**"

Jaden and Alexis smiled as they could clearly see that Dr. Crowler was fightung a losing battle. But despite the fact that the debate over the Duel Robot's residency was tipping in his favor, Jaden was a sporting guy. Alexis saw in his energetic and enthusiatic eyes a chance to make something fun out of this situation. Jaden indeed proceeded to step into the conversation between the two adults.

"...what's more, I myself know **barely** a thing about these high-tech computers, chancellor!" the teacher protested, feigining innocence. "Installing it in the Obelisk dormitory would not only educate my pupils, but **me** as well! Futhermore-"

"Uh...'cuse me, fellas...but why don't we settle this the way things are usually settled around here? With a **duel!**" Jaden suggested.

"**Capital** idea!" the chancellor cried, instantaneously breaking away from his talk with Crowler. "But then, I shouldn't expect anything **less** from you!"

Syrus hadn't said anything for a while, but he was listening closely to what everyone was saying. Chancellor Sheppard greenliting Jaden's proposal caused the short boy's mouth to move on its own.

"Whoa! Honest?" he asked.

"Of course!" promised Sheppard. "As a matter of fact, I'll even-"

"Mister Sheppard!" yelled one of the technicians.

"Yes, what it is?"

"Everything looks good on this end...well, almost."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the Life Point register is operating like clockwork...but my team is still working a few bugs outta the card database progammer. Rest assured, though...we'll get it up and running soon."

"Good to hear, that's great news!"

The technician smiled, nodded and returned to his post.

"Anyway, Jaden...back to business! I'll see to it that you get a fair chance to fight the robot, one on one! Its difficulty level will be adequately set, an appropriate deck of virtual cards programmed into its memory core...and if you win, I'll have the Duel Computer set up to be used exclusively for the Slifer Reds!"

"**Yes!**" Jaden exclaimed, stabbing his fist into the air.

"That is, assuming you can pass the exam coming up in two days!"

"No!"

"Fair's fair. Score well on the test, and you'll be given a chance to help decide where the Duel Robot will be placed! So brace yourself! The rest of your S.R. buddies are counting on you to win that duel!"

Jaden stole a glance at the other Slifers, who indeed looked desperate, anxious and hopeful (especially Syrus). Sheppard simply chuckled and walked off with his hands behind his back.

"No pressure, huh?" Alexis playfully asked him. "Better hit those books post haste."

"How could he **do** this to me?" Jaden wailed. "I can win any duel, day or night...but a **test?** Chancellor Sheppard might as well have asked me to **swim** to the **moon!**"

"You'll survive, Jaden...you always do."

Alexis couldn't help but giggle a bit at her friend's discomfort. But she knew she was right. If there was anyone here who could beat the odds, it was Jaden Yuki.

At the same time, Crowler was shaking with growing rage. The discussion had practically chose its own path to walk without waiting for a particular opinion, namely his. Crowler's dislike of a certain "dropout boy" dominated his thoughts. And there was but a single action to be taken in order to rectify this abrupt turn of events...

Revenge.

"This isn't over, slacker..." the doctor growled. "I'll make sure that you get booted from our precious Duel Academy faster than you can get your game on!"

**TO BE (SHOULD IT BE?) CONTINUED...YEAH, WHY NOT?**

* * *

There's another chapter hot off the press! I don't really have much to say except that I apologize for not posting this sooner (I'm as bad as those so-called "Slifer Slackers"), and I hope you've enjoyed reading this new installment! Next time, Jaden gets all pumped to take on the Duel Computer! (C'mon, did you **honestly** think a small plot device like that **stupid** exam was really gonna stand in his way?) But danger is on the horizon, and our young friend ends up getting **much** more than he bargained for! Hey, that ryhmes! (So **what?**)

Keep on reading, faithful fans!


	3. Virus

**DISCLAIMER: **I DON'T OWN "_YU-GI-OH! GX_" AND FURTHERMORE, I ALSO...WAIT A SEC...

Do'h! I had the "caps lock" on...! Eh...sorry about that...

**Yu-Gi-Oh! GX - Y Duel K**

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 3 - Virus**

Jaden was breathing heavily as he ran all the way to Chancellor Sheppard's office. And it might have been with good reason, had Jaden possessed prior knowledge of what he was being summoned for.

"Man alive...I don't see why Sheppard...doesn't just **say**...what he wants to tell me over the...school speakerphones! He should know that I...don't stand on...formal ceremonies or...private meetings around here!" he said, panting and running at the same time.

The young man had been far away from the office (he was outside, to be exact) when the call came in, so he dropped his precious activity of doing nothing and rushed inside, sprinting past a truckload of students and teachers in the hallways. Upon reaching the desired destination, Jaden's exuberant journey (however short it may have been) came to an anti-climatic end as he calmly turned the doorknob leading into Sheppard's office. As usual, the headmaster was quietly stationed at his desk. To Jaden's partial disappointment, Dr. Crowler was cooly standing still nearby, hands behind his back.

The Slifer Red student was granted a minute or so to catch his breath before the conversation got under way.

"Jaden, I've called you here to personally reveal the results of your last test..." Sheppard said, not showing much emotion on his face or in his voice.

Immediately, the emotional atmosphere in the room became slightly tense, as the middle-aged man has previously promised Jaden a chance to test his dueling skills to that of the newly-installed Duel Robot that most of the student body had been raving about. And if Jaden could perform well and overcome the machine's dueling tactics, in woud find a permanent home in the Slifer dormitory. But first he was required to pass an upcoming written examination in order to make any of this possible...

"I **thought** that's what it might be!" Jaden cried. "Boy, you must **really** love keeping students in the dark about stuff like this! I took that test like **three** days ago, and there was no word on it until now! Chancellor, you sure know how to build up suspense!"

Another man might have taken offense to such a statement, but Jaden's outburst was one of his more (for lack of a better word) charming attributes, which Sheppard just acknowledged with a warm chuckle. He then turned to the individual standing next to his desk.

"Dr. Crowler, if you wouldn't mind..."

The tall, blonde teacher gave off a prompt (and expected) "HMPH!" before bringing his hands out from behind his back, revealing a few pieces of paper stapled together. Presumably it was Jaden's exam. He cleared his throat before making his announcement...

"You failed miserably, Jaden! So you might as well just pack up your belongings and move ou-"

"AHEM!"

Apparently, the chancellor now had to clear **his** throat, albeit in a much louder fashion than Dr. Crowler. And somehow that action magically caused the teacher to change his choice of words, then and there.

"Fine...you got a **74** on the stinking test, **happy?**" he quickly muttered, sneaking in a grumble or six.

"VERY much so!" Jaden almost shouted, shooting a fist into the air. "YES! I **knew** there hadda be a reason I ran here so fast! Musta been my subconscious telling me good things were in store for me today!"

"Congratulations are in order, Jaden! Your score was noticeably higher than the last few exams you took! Such an improvement and accomplishment is to be commended!" noted Sheppard.

"And **rewarded**..." Jaden quickly added.

The chancellor got out of his seat, walked over to the young scholar, and gave him a pair of friendly pats on the shoulder.

"Of course, of course. I haven't forgotten my end of the bargain, and I intend to honor our agreement. There are other students already scheduled to fight against the Duel Computer, but I'll see to it that you're moved up the list considerably!"

"Great!"

"Why don't we make our way to the dueling area, so I can announce the news?"

"Sounds like a plan to me! Comin', **Miss** Crowler?"

Jaden turned his head slightly to see the professor's reaction, hoping it would be the one he expected. He was right.

Crowler was as mad as a hornet and his faced showed it exquisitely. His entire body was shaking in rage, his face was red and looked as if it were about to explode.

"That's **DOCTOR** Crowler to you!" he angrily stated, retaining just enough common sense to keep his cool in the Chancellor's presence. "I **swear**...one of these days-"

"Yeah, yeah...heard it all before!" Jaden said boldly, knowing that his test score was enough for Sheppard to let his remark slide.

As the three of them walked down the hallway, Jaden and the headmaster were cheerfully chatting about something trivial. The tall man in blue sullenly trailed behind, continuously muttering words that were inaudible but undoubtedly nasty.

* * *

The dueling arena was where most the school's important events took place. It was quite the rarity to see it quiet and peaceful. Jaden hoped that the arena would be so for today, as his excitement (to fight the Duel Robot) far outweighed his patience. Such a hope would be a longshot to begin with; Jaden's fears were confirmed as he, Chancellor Sheppard, and Dr. Crowler entered the arena which was bustling with activity.

Numerous students of all ranks were crowded around the platform where a duel was taking place. Jaden wasn't all that surprised to see an Obelisk pitting his skills against the Duel Computer, much less that it happened to be Chazz Princeton. The duelist glared at his artificial opponent with as much determination as he had done in the past with so many others. The atmosphere protruding his being felt almost as dark as his eyes and spiky hair. Among the crowd, Bastion, Syrus and Chumley were also witnessing the fight with interest.

Chazz had a pair of impressive monsters on the field. The first was his Cthonian Soldier, a muscular man dressed in grey armor with a thick, dark turquoise cloth wrapped around his waist. He held a spiked shield in his left hand and a long sword with a wide blade in his right. Paired up with the warrior was Mefist the the Infernal General. This much more lethal-looking fighter was encased in noticeably shiny armor, its face hidden from sight (due to the outfit's matching helmet), brandishing a huge, long double-headed axe. The fiend-type monster was mounted atop a black armored animal which appeared to be a cross between a horse and some other mammel that Jaden couldn't quite identify.

The robot defenses were composed of one face-down card and a single monster that Jaden might've been able to recognize in a flash had he not been more focused on Chazz's next move. However, the monster's identity would quickly became a moot point in a moment.

"Mefist...since that computer's pitiful monster won't **split** on its own, help it out!" Chazz hissed.

The mounted fiend made quick work of it, effortlessly lifted the heavy-loookng axe and swung it horizontally, slicing its opponent in half.

The audience gave varying responses, ranging all the way from applause and cheer to booing and silent thumbs pointing downward. Of course, the latter reponse was exercised mostly by students wearing red blazers. Not that the active duelist dressed in blue would've cared.

Chazz smirked in pleasure and then laughed as the Duel Robot's Life Point score dropped to 500.

"Man...didja ever see a more **helpless** enemy before? This is almost as fun as kicking around those worthless Slifer slackers!"

Jaden virtually ignored Chazz's obnoxious ranting, and instead looked around. More technicians were present than the day the Duel Computer was unveiled. A few of them were talking to each other, and some were watching Chazz's duel intently, writing notes on their clipboards.

"Hey, Chancellor Sheppard...how come all these dudes are hangin 'around? I thought the computer was already up and running!" Jaden inquired.

"Well, hooking up a device of this complexity proved to be a much more delicate procedure than originally anticipated..." Sheppard pointed out, briefly stroking his goatee.

"Why's that?"

"This piece of technology is quite dated, so the programmers have had some difficulty connecting the apparatus to our own! Ergo, the engineering staff are going to be staying for a few more days to run a series of tests to make sure everything is as close to perfect working order as it can get!"

"And what better way to test it than pitting students against it?"

"True enough, but there's a lot more going on than you might think!"

Sheppard pointed upward at a booth above the bleachers (from where he usually watched duels play out) in which a small group of system analysts was hard at work.

"Additionally, the computer's card database is currently being uploaded with a **vast** library of cards to choose from, allowing the machine to create a multitude of decks to duel with! The Academy's even been in talks with Industrial Illusions to negotiate the rights to some new test cards that won't be released for many years to come!"

"Might it be too much to ask for a certain Slifer Red's dueling deck to be included among the robot's database?"

The chancellor sensed the boy's growing enthusiasm, causing him to chuckle before answering.

"Ahead of you there, Jaden! I've already seen to it that the decks of the school's most talented students have been admitted into the computer's memory! I would be pleased to count yours among them!

"All right! **Sweet!**"

"Better prepare that deck of yours, Jaden! As soon as Chazz's duel ends, you're on!"

The S.R. had nothing more to say as he switched his attention back to the duel in progress. By now Chazz had three monsters on his side of the field; he'd managed (without too much difficulty) to summon his Infernal Incinerator (2800/1800), a **real** beast of a monster almost too grotesque to describe.

But the fiend's features was the least of anyone's worries, as the Duel Robot's field was empty. Somewhere during Jaden's conversation, its score had been depleted to 200. The spectators thought the winnner of the duel would be obvious, but they should've known (by now) that at this school, the unexpected (and somtimes the unknown) factor had a tendency to be lurking around the corner on a regular basis.

And the present circumstances was just perfect for more than a little unexpected danger.

Chazz was certainly not a clueless individual. Possessing a level of awareness that equaled his dueling prowess, the O.B. was usually one to assess a cirtical situation almost before it began. But what was about to unravel was a scenario that even he wouldn't see coming. Unfortunately, part of the reason was that he was a bit **too** focused on the duel to suspect anything was in error. The only idea on his mind was winning, the insurance of which was provided by the trio of monsters he had on his side of the playing field. Further complicating matters were his pair of face-down cards inbedded in the appropriate slots on his Duel Disk, undoubtedly assuring the survival of his monsters in battle.

Another round of (brief) laughing ensued from the teenager as he ended his turn.

"Your turn, robot! But ya better make it good...because after it's over, I'll be adding yet another duelist to my list of victims!"

Chazz turned his head to Jaden and continued his rant, obviously focusing his next group of words on his fellow classmate.

"Y'know, Jaden...having the computer slumming over at the Slifer shack might not be such a bad thing in the long run! This talking tin can is as much a **loser** as the rest of the red blazer-wearing morons...you and IT were practically **made **for each other!"

"Don't let it bother you!" Sheppard cheerfully said, trying his best to comfort Jaden. "You're doing your fellow roommates a world of good by challenging the Duel Computer for the rights to its ownership. Be proud!"

"Oh, I ain't bothered in the least!" Jaden quipped, flashing a toothy grin.

The machine drew a new card from its deck and promptly placed it in an empty slot on its body. Then it slowly began rotating, computing its next maneuver.

"_Draw card. Processing countermeasures._"

"Blah, blah, blah! Just GO already!" Chazz barked, clearly becoming more impatient by the second. "The sooner you make your stupid move, the sooner I can win! MAN, this piece of junk really IS as dumb as the S.R. dimwits who-"

The incompleted sentence was also the last (attempted) insult the boy would employ for a while.

It happened so fast that no one had time to say anything in response. The red circular light located in the center of the device glowed more brightly than it ever had before and what seemed like a minor (and brief) bolt of electricity shot out and struck Chazz; his roar of pain echoing all too well throughout the huge room. Most of the boys gasped and the girls screamed. All eyes widened at the scene playing out.

"What the heck...!" Jaden exclaimed.

"My goodness!" Sheppard shouted. "What's the meaning of this?"

As much as Jaden had his fair share of problems and differences with Mr. Princeton, he took no pleasure in the demonstration of extreme physical discomfort one of his potential rivals was enduring. Chazz's head lowered, and his eyes narrowed. His entire body was shaking, doing its absolute best to shake off the electrical discharge...

...but it ultimately failed. In the space of ten seconds which were almost excrutiating to watch, the boy garbed in blue first fell to his knees then finally collapsed. Even from where he was standing, Jaden could see that the Obelisk student was still conscious. He (and two other boys) wasted no time in racing onto the dueling platform to tend to Chazz, who was twitching.

"Chazz! Can you hear me? Can you **move?**" Jaden asked in an understandable panic.

"N...not...much..." he barely managed to say through gritted teeth.

"Well, don't worry! Mechanical or not, that thing's gonna pay for this!"

"Yeah...r-right...y-y-you don't...stand...a ch-chance-"

Crowler, who hadn't said anything for a long time, showed much worry. Despite his repeated attempts to discredit and expel the Slifer Reds (Jaden more than any of the others), he was still a teacher at heart. And as much as he would HATE to admit it, the overall welfare of the student body actually did constitute _some_ amount of concern in his mind. He quickly ran off to a specific wall where a small intercom was installed. In a near panic, he furiously held down the red button (only utilized for emergencies).

"This is Dr. Crowler calling the infirmary!" he announced through the speaker. "Medical **crisis** in the arena! Repeat-"

A sharp screech of static crackled though the intercom. While it only lasted less than five seconds, the sound was certainly irritating enough to cause Crowler to step back and cover his ears.

As the situation wasn't dire enough, the overhead lights began to flicker for a few seconds, finally shutting off completely. Loud clangs and booms were heard as large metal deadfall doors fell, cutting off all possible exits. Normally the activation of such mechanisms would perform as standard procedure for keeping all students and personnel within a single area during an emergency, cutting them off from an outside threat. But now everyone was being kept inside...which was **exactly** where the danger was.

"Uh, oh!" Chumley cried. "Totally **not** 'licious!"

"You can say that again!" Syrus whined. "We're trapped in here like sardines!"

Sheppard took a glance at the control booth. The shades inside had been closed, cutting off any chance of someone peekng in. Before the headmaster could request it, a pair of techs and a couple of students ran up the stairs to the booth and tried to open the door. Each one twisted the knob as hard as they could, but to no avail.

"No good! The stupid thing's locked!" one of them shouted.

"I doubt **anyone** will be getting in there soon!" the chancellor replied. "That door is electronically locked from the inside! It runs on an independant system!"

Alexis watched with increasing alarm as she witnessed Chazz being gently placed on the ground. A nearby Obelisk student removed his long blue blazer, folded it up, and positioned it under Chazz's head to act as a makeshift pillow. The girl began to nervously sweat a little.

"What're we gonna do **now?**" she almost shouted, asking no one in particular.

But Jaden heard her unofficial plea for help...and had an answer. Some may have argued that it wasn't the correct one, but it was the only solution he could offer.

"I'll tell ya what we're gonna do! Or should say what **I'm** gonna do!"

A few people who heard Jaden turned their heads, although they already knew what he was up to. The boy ran over to where Chazz was lying. Jaden grabbed the O.B.'s Duel Disk, ejected the cards from it and then inserted his own deck. He then turned towards his friends with a look that simultaneously displayed an angry seriousness in his eyes, as well as a enthusiastic (albeit small) smile coursing throigh his mouth.

"I'm gonna duel this thing and shut it down!" Jaden declared.

Many gasped upon hearing this. Bastion was a person who had a tendency to keep a cool head under fire and was the first to speak up after Jaden's proclamation rather than gasp along with the others.

"Jaden...I **strongly** suggest you ceast and desist! You saw what that machine did to Chazz! Do you **want** to be electrified to a crisp?" warned Bastion.

"I've never really been one to wait things out! The robot seems to have hooked itself up to the other systems around here! That means if I can knock its Life Points down to zero in a duel, it might release the lockdown!" Jaden suggested.

"It's always a possibility, but that's something of a longshot! Besides, it's reasonable to assume that whoever or whatever is corrupting the computer has probably loaded up its database with a nasty army of cards! We've already seen it - literally - go on the offensive! There's absolutely **no** way of knowing what to expect!"

"Then that'll make it all the more challenging! I've seen the Duel Robot turn off and reboot itself after each completed match! In that instant the doors might open and we can escape! On top of that, Chazz sure isn't looking real great...he **needs** to to be taken to the infirmary for treatment!"

There were a dozen more details Bastion could've brought up, but that last one Jaden mentioned was undeniable. Chazz was in pain, but it was impossible to tell how badly he'd been hurt. An appointment with the school nurse was defnately in order and if there was **any** possibility that defeating the computer would set them free...

Jaden bravely walked onto the dueling platform and activated his Duel Disk. He was unsure as to whether or not the artificial opponent staring back could actually hear and comprehend his words, but it was all he had to go on in order to initiate a duel.

"All right, buddy! I know Chazz is an annoying dude, but there're better ways to work out your stress! Going all postal on him isn't the way to do it! But **I'm** your opponent now, and if you think you're so tough, then just try to take **me** down!"

The Duel Computer hummed and beeped a few times, and the Life Point counter above the red light on its face flashed momentarily. Its scoreboard then glowed a white "4000" that could be seen by all, due to the fact that only minimal lighting had been retained in the giant room; the counter on Jaden's Duel Disk read the same. He took this as a sign that his adversary had accepted the challenge.

The young teen took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, tightened his fists and did his best to keep a tough expression glued to his face. Since his first day at Duel Academy, the difficulty level of Jaden's duels had (usually) never been low. The stakes were exceptionally high on this one and he knew it. Just about everyone present would be counting on him to win, not that he could - or would - do any less.

"Okay! Shuffle your cards, ready that advanced, computerized brain...and get your **game** on!"

The lights on the large device blinked as its feminine voice spoke. Its following statements would initially seem harmless, but whoever was influencing the computer's system had also (seemingly) corrupted its dialogue. Which (for a split second) made Jaden's blood run cold...

"_Reviewing duelists records...isolating duelist tactics...commence restructure of deck...complete! Duel algorithm update completed! Prepare to meet your __**match!**_"

**TO BE CONTINUED (WHEN I'M GOOD AND READY)...**

* * *

WHEW! I sure typed up a mouthful! Yeah, yeah...I realize it's been a **damn** long time since I've served up any new fanfic material, but I'm FINALLY back from infinity...and beyond! You won't believe where I've been! Really, you wouldn't...due to the fact that I usually lie about these kinda things. So while I try to think up a plausible excuse, why don't you go ahead leave your reviews and feedback at the door?

Well...the main feature (Jaden's fight agains the Duel Robot) begins! Now that we've gotten up to the exciting, action-packed part, I'll do my best to spew out new chapters in the near future. (But I make **no** promises.) Thus keep your chin up, raise the head up high and cross those fingers! See you soon...hopefully.


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